Chapter 2 (BookGurl16)

Peeta's face openly showed his shock as the information sunk in. It took him ten seconds to recover; when he did, a sad smile graced his face. "Oh, Katniss." He whispered, hugging her tightly. Katniss couldn't help the tears that started flowing, the tears that soaked Peeta's shirt.

"Peeta." She whispered back, her voice hoarse. "If I don't-" She couldn't finish her sentence before Peeta broke in.

"You're going to get out of there alive." He said fiercely. "You will live. You... you both." Peeta choked back a sob.

"Oh my gosh..." Katniss wiped the tears from her eyes. "What's happened to me, Peeta?" She chuckled a little, slightly weakly. "Why am I so emotional all of a sudden?" Peeta just chuckled and shook his head. Katniss continued. "I'm... I'll miss you. I'll win this for you. You and Prim. I love you so much, Peeta."

Peeta gripped her hand comfortingly. "I love you more."

Katniss grinned triumphantly as she responded, "I love you most."

After thinking about it for a while, Peeta smiled teasingly. "I love you more than you love me."

"That's not fair!" Katniss complained. "And not true."

"How about we both love each other very much?" Peeta proposed.

"It's a deal." chuckled Katniss, resting her head against Peeta's chest. She never wanted the moment to end. Unfortunately, the end came too soon when the Peacekeepers barged in, taking Peeta out.

"It's time to leave, buddy."

Peeta looked in Katniss' eyes. "I love you." He said one last time before leaving. The door swung shut, and Katniss felt despair wash over her.

"I love you more." She whispered to the empty room.

"Get on the train, already." The Peacekeeper said impatiently as Katniss scanned the crowd for familiar faces. One in particular. But his blond hair was nowhere to be seen, much to her dismay. Reluctantly, she stepped onto the train, walking into the too-familiar fancy dining place. Gale was already there, staring out of the window impassively.

Gale's POV

The train moved at a much faster pace than I had expected. I tried to ignore Katniss as she sat down in a chair, but it was all too hard. I didn't say a word though, watching as the train moved through the terrain. I placed my palm on the smooth, cold glass, wondering how on Earth I was going to get Katniss out of the arena when her voice interrupts my thoughts.

"Gale?" She asked tentatively. I wanted to ignore her and pretend like I hadn't heard, but it was obvious I had.

I sighed. "Yeah?"

"If I die..." Her voice wavered, and my heart throbbed a bit. It was all I could do to pull her in for a hug. "Could you tell my mother and... Peeta that I love them? And that I tried?" Her voice sounded small, but somehow it had the ability to pierce my heart with her words. She loved Peeta. That was why she married him. It was wrong for me to love her this way, but yet I did.

"Of course." I replied quietly. "But don't think like that, Catnip." I smiled slightly as the nickname brought back various memories. "You're not going to die."

Katniss sounded agitated. "But if I do-"

"You're not going to die." I repeated simply. "I'm not going to allow it."

There's a silence for a while, and I was beginning to think that the conversation was dead, when Katniss said quietly, "Gale, you're not going to die either. You're my best friend."

Ouch. Friend-zoned. I tried not to wince, and just said simply, "What do I have to live for, Catnip?" I turned to look at her, a certain bitterness to my tone. She opened her mouth to object, but I cut her off. "My family- they can survive. They don't need me. I'm just a burden. And as for friends-" I laughed, the sound seeming slightly cold even to me. "What friends? And as for you..." I got up and crossed over to her. She hadn't moved since I started my speech. "You have Peeta now. You don't need me. And also..." I hesitated. "How could I live knowing that you had died for me?"

She protested. "But Gale, I can't let you die for me either!"

"Somehow... I think for me it would be worse."

"And why is that?" Katniss asked, indignantly.

I look into her eyes and utter the words that I'd always been too terrified to say. "I love you Katniss. You have Peeta and I have no one else. You can move on. But I wouldn't be able to. I loved you then, I love you now, and I will always, always love you. Even in death, if there is a life after death, I will love you then and watch you from afar. But you will have Peeta to console you. Your mother." She seemed thrown aback by my speech. Gently, I reached out and pulled her chin up, leaning down until our lips met.

Katniss' POV

One second, we were fighting about who would get to live, the second, he was professing his love for me and kissing me. I was too shocked to do anything for the longest time, but then, I broke away. What would Peeta think?

"Gale!" I gasped, looking at him slightly accusingly.

Gale just looked thoughtful, then smiled ruefully. "You don't know how long I've wanted to do that."

"But- but-" I just stared at him, at a loss for words. At last, I found the right words. "PEETA! What would Peeta think? Oh my gosh. GALE!"

He just turned away to go back to his stupid window. Well fine, ignore me, Hawthorne. I scowled at his back. "How would he find out?" Gale asked, and he had a point. Unfortunately, the words were spoken too soon.

A/N Do you like it? Reviews?